Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yoelena’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Yoelena’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; decorative-type inflorescences with dark yellow-colored ray florets; and natural season flowering about September 17 th  in the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘YOELENA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a perennial garden Chrysanthemum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Yoelena’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create new perennial garden-type Chrysanthemum cultivars having uniformly rounded plant habit, inflorescences with desirable inflorescence forms, attractive floret colors and good garden performance.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in December, 2003, in Salinas, Calif. of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Gold Crest’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,606, as the female, or seed, parent with Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Red-bronze Urano’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Alva, Fla. in October, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment in Alva, Fla. in December, 2004. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Yoelena’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Yoelena’ as a new and distinct garden Chrysanthemum cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Decorative-type inflorescences.     -   5. Dark yellow-colored ray florets.     -   6. Natural season flowering occurs about September 17^(th) in         the Northern Hemisphere.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the female parent, ‘Gold Crest’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more rounded than plants         of ‘Gold Crest’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were stronger than plants of         ‘Gold Crest’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered five days earlier         than plants of ‘Gold Crest’ when grown under natural season         conditions.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had slightly smaller         inflorescences than plants of ‘Gold Crest’.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the male parent, ‘Red-bronze Urano’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were larger than plants of         ‘Red-bronze Urano’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences         than plants of ‘Red-bronze Urano’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Red-bronze Urano’         differed in ray floret color as plants of ‘Red-bronze Urano’ had         faded red-bronze-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Jessica’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,587. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla. plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Jessica’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more compact and more         rounded than plants of ‘Jessica’.     -   2. Foliage of plants of the new Chrysanthemum maintain green         color whereas foliage of plants of ‘Jessica’ do not maintain         green color throughout the growing season.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Gedi One Ces’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,797. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Gedi One Ces’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences         than plants of ‘Gedi One Ces’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered two to three weeks         earlier than plants of ‘Gedi One Ces’ when grown under natural         season conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Yoelena’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Yoelena’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Alva, Fla. during the late spring and summer in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial garden Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 32° C. and night temperatures averaged 21° C. Plants were grown in 15-containers under short day/long night conditions. Plants were ten weeks from planting when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yoelena’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Gold             Crest’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,606.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Chrysanthemum×morifolium             ‘Red-bronze Urano’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at temperatures of             about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About ten to twelve             days at temperatures of about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum.             Stems upright and outwardly spreading giving a uniformly             mounded appearance to the plant. Freely branching habit,             about six lateral branches each with multiple secondary             branches; pinching is not required; dense and full plant             habit. Strong and vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 18.5 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 36 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 16 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 1.3 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent; longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 148B.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 6 cm.             Width: About 4 cm. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Palmately lobed, sinuses between lateral lobes             mostly parallel. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescence; veins prominent on lower surface. Color:             Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: Close to 137A. Fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to             147B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B;             venation, close to 147B. Petiole: Length: About 3.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 148B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with narrowly             oblanceolate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminals above foliage. Disc and ray florets arranged             acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences fragrant,             pungent.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower about September 17^(th) in the Northern Hemisphere.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about four weeks in an outdoor nursery.             Inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About 14 to 17 inflorescences             develop per lateral branch.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About             1.1 cm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 12B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.8 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.3 cm. Disc diameter: About 2 mm. Receptacle             diameter: About 1.7 cm. Receptacle height: About 6 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 147A.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Orientation:             Initially upright, then about 90° from vertical. Aspect:             Initially incurved, then mostly flat; apices reflex with             development. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Apex:             Emarginate to erose. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety;             longitudinally ribbed. Number of ray florets per             inflorescence: About 175 arranged in about ten whorls.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 13B; color does not fade with development. When opening             and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 13C; color does             not fade with development.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Length: About 2 mm.             Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Number of disc florets per             inflorescence: About five to ten. Color, immature and             mature: Apex: Close to 154A. Mid-section: Close to 154C.             Base: Close to 145C.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 24             arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 8 mm. Width:             About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower             surface: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 148B to             148C. Color, lower surface: Close to 148A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 5.2 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 7 cm. Diameter, terminal peduncle:             About 1.5 mm. Angle: Mostly upright to 45° from vertical.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 147B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma             color: Close to 5A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color:             Close to 1B. Ovary color: Close to 155A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated excellent garden performance and will overwinter in     USDA Zones 5 and higher; plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been     observed to tolerate high temperature of about 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yoelena’ as illustrated and described. 